Categories: Sports

IND vs WI, T20 World Cup 2026: India’s Record in Must-Win Matches Ahead of Virtual Quarterfinal Showdown at Eden Gardens

India face the West Indies in a crucial virtual quarter-final at the T20 World Cup 2026, with a semifinal berth on the line. Here’s a look back at how India have performed in similar must-win encounters in previous T20 World Cup campaigns.

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Published by Pragun Mehrotra
Published: February 27, 2026 10:53:44 IST

T20 World Cup 2026: India and the West Indies are set to face off in a virtual quarter-final on Sunday at Eden Gardens. With a rich history in the tournament, they are one of the three teams, along with England, to have won the trophy twice. 

Coming into the clash, India registered a thumping win over Zimbabwe, while the West Indies suffered a tough loss against South Africa. A loss for each of the two teams in Super 8 has meant that the winner of the clash in Kolkata will make it into the semi-final. It will be a high-stakes encounter, something that the Men in Blue are quite familiar with.

India and South Africa face off in a do-or-die clash

The inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 gave some memorable matches. After the preliminary group stages, India and South Africa, along with New Zealand and England, were slotted in Group E with two semi-final slots up for grabs. The Proteas and India met in the final group stage clash with four and two points next to their name, respectively. 

Batting first, India were put in a spot of bother having lost four wickets with 61 runs on the board. A young Rohit Sharma, alongside skipper MS Dhoni, stitched a crucial 85-run partnership before setting up a target of 154 for the hosts. In the second innings, RP Singh picked up three wickets while Sreesanth claimed one in their opening spells, with Justin Kemp being run out by Rohit. South Africa could not recover from 31-5 and went on to lose the match by 37 runs, with Rohit Sharma being named the player of the match. 

Another India vs Australia classic in 2016

Almost every India-Australia match in ICC tournaments has been a treat for the cricket fans. The two teams faced off in PCA Stadium in Mohali, with Australia choosing to bat first. Thanks to some indisciplined bowling and a 26-run knock from Usman Khawaja, Australia scored 160 runs for the loss of six wickets. In the second innings, India lost their first four wickets for only 94 runs in 14 overs. Needing 67 runs in the final six overs, Virat Kohli began to accelerate. The right-handed batter, alongside MS Dhoni, scripted a great comeback and chased down the total. Kohli was named the player of the match for his unbeaten knock of 82 runs in 51 balls. 

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2026 | ‘Was Waiting For This Moment’: Abhishek Sharma Reacts After Returning to Form vs ZIM in Super 8 Fixture

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